This invention relates in general to windshield wipers, and more particularly, to an improved adapter or connector for a windshield wiper that allows the windshield wiper to be attached to multiple types of windshield wiper arm configurations in side saddle position. The invention is also directed to windshield wipers incorporating these novel adapters.
There are a variety of wiper arms on which wiper blades are provided as original equipment. These various wiper arms have hooks, pins, or other configurations which may connect to the wiper blade with or without connectors. These various configurations have created a problem in the replacement market because wiper blade providers are required to have multiple wiper blade configurations to accommodate all of the existing wiper arms. It is therefore advantageous to have attachment structures that can accommodate a host of arms to reduce the complexity and cost associated with plurality of wiper blade arm configuration.
The need to attach replacement windshield wiper blades to multiple arms has been addressed to some degree. For example, windshield wiper blades have been designed to work with various hook-type wiper arms having different sizes. Connectors may also be configured to receive either a pin-type arm, a hook-type arm and a variety of other arms, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,380, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An adapter may also be used to connect the arm to a windshield wiper. As that term is used herein, an adapter is a separate structure that works together with the connector to allow the windshield wiper to connect to a type of wiper arm. An example adapter is described in U.S. Patent No. 2002/0192017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, wherein an adapter is used to allow a large hook to connect to a wiper blade having a connector that accommodates only small hook arms. Although these connectors and adapters may increase the usefulness of a given windshield wiper such that it can be used with different wiper arm types, the connectors are often expensive and have complicated structures that are difficult and time-consuming to manufacture.
Whereas many automobiles on the market have arms that attach to a wiper blade directly over the wiper strip (i.e., hooks that connect inside of, or pin arms where the pin enters into, a mounting base or other connecting device that is above the wiper strip), more recent automobiles contain wiper arms that are designed to attach to the side of a wiper blade. These wiper arms (sometimes referred to herein as “side-saddle wiper arms”) are generally provided on vehicles with a specially designed wiper blade that is designed to connect only to that specific type of arm and require special mounting bases or connectors designed to accommodate such an arm. When the wiper blade must be replaced, the replacement must generally be done at a car dealership and requires the purchase of an expensive replacement part. Moreover, there are several versions of these wiper arms, some of which have varying lengths, locking arms or spacers. Accordingly, an aftermarket provider that offers windshield wipers that are not directed to a specific car must evaluate whether to add a separate connector to accommodate each particular side saddle wiper arm. This leaves consumers with vehicles having the new wiper arms with fewer, usually more expensive, alternatives for replacement windshield wipers.
Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive adapter or connector that is capable of securing a windshield wiper blade to a variety of arms, including side-saddle wiper arms. In particular, it would be desirable to have an adapter or connector that can be attached to a wiper blade and that preferably can be used with at least one connector that will allow the wiper blade to be locked to a wide variety of these side-saddle wiper arms, regardless of their various locking arm mechanisms or whether the arm includes a spacer. It would also be desirable to have a windshield wiper adapter or connector that can be fabricated or molded as a single piece (or with few pieces) at low-cost that can accommodate a wide variety of side-saddle wiper arms. The prior art fails to provide a low-cost windshield wiper adapter or connector capable of attachment to a wide variety of these side-saddle wiper arms, much less for the purpose of reducing the amounts of inventory parts required to supply a vehicle market that uses a wide variety of pin-type windshield wiper arm types.